Jason Whitlock: Kirk Cousins should chase wins, not money

– Gotta chase the wins if I’m Kirk Cousins. You’re going to get paid $23, $24 million a year. You’ve just made close to $50 million, I think, the last two years. He needs to make a decision about winning. The knock on Kirk Cousins is, is he a guy that’s the difference between winning and losing? Can he do with Jimmy Garoppolo just did– elevate a team, put him on a team that you thought nothing of and make them win five straight. Kirk Cousins hasn’t won five straight games since his junior year in college. And so, I think he needs to make a football decision based on wins and leave money on the table. Pay no attention to what Jimmy Garoppolo just got paid.

– Well, I mean, there’s a lot of quarterbacks that have won a big game, like Trent Dilfer, Phil Simms, and they weren’t always the richest. But think about guys who made a ton– Brock Osweiler, who didn’t win. They’re a joke. Like, what you don’t want to be in pro sports is wildly paid and unsuccessful. Like, you can live with that. It feels great in your bank account, but wouldn’t you rather have a little less and have won games? I just think in sports what you don’t want to be is Brock Osweiler. Like, literally you mention his name and people wince. They’re like–

JASON WHITLOCK: –Get a better example because I don’t think he’s going to be bought–

– Nowhere close. Nowhere. I get your point. I totally get your point. But number one– I’ll say this, and then I’ll answer the question– if he chases money, he wins.

[LAUGHTER]

If he goes after winning, he wins. He wins either way in this situation because, to your point, he’s going to get paid regardless. But I think for Kirk Cousins, he has to find a situation that will allow him to blossom into who the Washington Redskins never thought he could blossom into, and who we still question if he can blossom into. So for me, he has all the tools to get it done. You’re going to get paid. Go somewhere where it fits what you’re doing– the pieces are close to being there or there– and have success.

The reason why Jimmy Garoppolo got what he has, the main piece is intact– Kyle Shanahan.

– I agree. When he laughs Sean McVay, he lost a lot. I mean, I’ve said this on your show. I just never have been– that name Cousins. I mean, and there’s nothing but just like– I like a tough name. Montana, Brady. Just the name.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

– Just name a couple Hall of Famers.

– I just gotta– I can name a few. Elway, Staubach, Young.

– Get outta here. Elway’s not tough.

– I’m like, Cousins. I’m like, Cousins. You know what? He’s good, but he’s not great. And I’m with you. He’s never won a lot of games– never won in a row. And you’ve got to be consistent in the National Football League. If he goes to Cleveland, he loses. He may get the money, but his career may be over. I think the best spot for him would be Denver.

JASON WHITLOCK: Yeah. This comment’s going to be misconstrued a little bit, but– you’re saying Brock Osweiler– if I’m Kirk Cousins, I don’t want to be Philip Rivers. I really don’t. Philip Rivers has put up a bunch of numbers, but they’re meaningless. And he’s been paid a lot of money. I don’t want to be that guy. I don’t want to be– and I like this guy personally, he played at Indiana University– but I don’t want to be Trent Green. And again, that seems to be the trajectory that he’s on. Guys that put up nice numbers, went to Pro Bowls, and were thought of well. But again, in this modern NFL where if you’re a starting quarterback in this league, you’re going to make $15 to $25 million a year.

ERIC DICKERSON: That’s the backups.

– Yeah, the backup. And so, he’s going to make $20 million if he goes to Denver. I would not choose a worse situation that made me as much money as Jimmy Garoppolo.

– By the way, just on economics alone, let’s say he goes to Denver and takes less money. Well there’s a chance he would get another contract. Quarterbacks are now planning to be 38. Drew Brees has got three years left, he’s 39. If you make a ton of dough and lose, it’s over. So, I mean, just economics– take a little less and play nine years instead of a ton and play four. By the way, the way these contracts work, people will load up early like Garoppolo with an escape route. So if he’s a bum in two years, he’s out of the league. Nobody’s going to pay that kind of money for him.

– I, again– and I hope Phil Rivers isn’t watching– but again, in this era of football, you just don’t want to be a stats guy in the NFL at the quarterback position. I just– because a lot of people think, like, Philip Rivers is a Hall of Famer. I don’t. And if I’m Kirk Cousins, I want to go somewhere, win Super Bowls, and try to build a legacy that’s bigger than just the city I’m in.

– I actually like the Rivers comparison. Both fiery guys. I think skill sets are very similar. But do you think he has the success if he goes to Denver to be a Philip Riv– Because Philip Rivers is a really good quarterback. Do you think he has that type of success?

– He could, but I think if he goes to Denver now, he has an immediate– he doesn’t have to do as much as Philip Rivers because I think they have a better defense and I think they’re ready to win now. Kirk Cousins’s entire focus should be, man, Nick Foles just got a Super Bowl, how do I get one? Immediately, not three years down the road. How can I get one next year? And that’s what my decision would be based on.